Audio setup one-man band

[Karel_od_martiny]

Hi,
I have finally bought almost everything I need to use my Sigma FP. The only thing that I am still not able to decide is audio.

What audio setup do you use when you are shooting alone and you love using good sounds while editing? For documentaries, weddings and casual shooting?

I have already bought 2x Tascam DR10-CS for lavalier microphones and I am very happy with that decision.

But what about the "on camera" microphone. What should I get? Just some 3,5mm jack microphone right into the camera (rode etc)? Or get some pre-amp (saramonic, beachtek etc) and plug in some high end shotgun mic? Or get external recorder and have an extra bag with full audio setup on my body? And what if I am concerned about the size of the microphone (the high end shotgun mics are very long - sennheiser mkh-416 for example). And are shotgun mics actually good for one-man band when you can not boom and your microphone has constant direction (wherever the camera points)?

I was even thinking about the Sound Device Mixpre-3 II with mkh-416 or DEITY S-Mic 2S (since I really love playing with sound in my edits) but it is quite a big setup and I have a feeling, that it may be overkill (or not used much because of the complexity of the setup - batteries, cables, bags etc)

Or just buy stereo Sennheiser mke440, plug it right into the Sigma fp 3.5mm jack and take it easy? Are pre-amps of Sigma fp any good?

Or Sennheiser mke440 with Beachtek DXA-Go (Pre-amp with 3.5mm - is it going to be any better?)?

Or Beachtek DXA Micro Pro with xlr shotgun mkh-416 or DEITY S-Mic 2S?

What do you think?
What do you use?
And if you use some set-up what are advantages and disadvantages that you found out?
Do you have photos of your audio setup?


Thank you very much.

[Karel_od_martiny]

Well... if the sound quality is as important as the small size and minimal complexity of the audio gear, I may have found the best balance with high end Shotgun mic plugged through Saramonic Smart Rig II into my Sigma FP.

This brings me the smallest pre-amp possible with one XLR input.
The audio will be synchronized and better than 3.5mm microphones plugged straight into the camera (is that right?).
Noise level of Saramonic Smart Rig II is somewhere around -72db.

Do you have some experience with this Saramonic Smart Rig II?
For example Saramonic Smart Rig Plus has Noise level somewhere around -77db (and beachtek -83db), but it is bigger (2XLR inputs).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnOQxfjXPI0&t=319s

The question is - what microphone should I buy to mount it right on the camera? Shotgun? Stereo? Any advices?

[doug]

Have you seen the totally wireless setup from DSLR Video Shooter? It looks pretty great. I bought a Zoom F6 myself.

[Karel_od_martiny]

Oh ye, this was one of the first videos I have seen when looking for the audio solutions. But I actually do not like wireless systems (that is why I purchased Tascam DR10-CS, which does not need any signal, instead of SENNHEISER ew112P-G4.

And I can not imagine how could I actually boom while holding the camera (when I am alone).
My setup requiers Lav microphones for dialogues (since I am not able to hold camera and boom) and some fixed on camera microphone for everything else (every unexpected sound, that could not be captured by lavalier mics, because it was unexpected - screams, laughs, shouts, noises...).
Lav mics are sorted out, but I do not know what to choose for the fixed on camera microphone.

XLR mic and preamp into the camera?
Jack 3.5mm mic right into the camera?
Jack 3.5mm mic and Preamp right into the camera?
XLR mic and Sound Devices with timecode?

And what type? Stereo? Shotgun? Cardioid?

Still not sure.